A – Member of Audit Committee
R – Member of the Remuneration Committee
Mark Smith (A)
Non-Executive Chairman
Mark Smith is an experienced Director and Chairman, and a qualified Chartered Accountant. Mark served as Chief Operating Officer and CFO of Chime Communications plc from 1994 to 2017. He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Holiday Extras, a major travel and leisure business which is privately owned and Non-Executive Chairman of TPX Impact plc, an AIM listed company delivering digital transformation projects for clients mostly in the Public Sector. He joined the Merit Group plc Board on 29th November 2017 and was appointed Chairman on 26th November 2020.
Angela Entwistle (R)
Non-Executive Director
Angela Entwistle was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in November 2017. Angela is a Corporate Communications Specialist working with companies in the private sector. She is Chair of Total Politics, a media, events and training company focused on politics, government and public policy which also owns Biteback Publishing Limited, Britain’s leading publisher of political and current affairs titles and Conservative Home, Britain’s leading independent conservative news, comment, analysis and campaigns blog. She is a Non-Executive Director of Carlisle Support Services, one of the leading suppliers of value-added solutions across the public and private sectors in the UK and Ireland, and was a Non-executive Director of Impellam Group plc, the largest staffing business in the UK and 8th largest MSP worldwide. Angela was also Corporate Communications Director of ADT Limited, an international business services company and the world’s leader in electronic security solutions, from 1986 to 1997. Angela is significantly involved in a number of charities including acting as Trustee and Deputy Chair of Crimestoppers, the only UK charity dedicated to solving crimes, and Trustee of Prospect Education (Technology) Trust Limited, the umbrella charity of the Ashcroft Technology Academy.
Julia Robertson (R, A)
Non-Executive Director
Julia was appointed a Non-Executive Director of the Company in June 2025. Julia is a highly experienced global and multi-sector business leader whose experience spans managed services, staffing, support services and healthcare to both public and private sectors. With a demonstrable track record of creating long term sustainable value through leading strategic and cultural change and delivering both organic growth and value creation through complex M&A, Julia recently stepped down from her Executive role at Headfirst Global plc following its PE backed acquisition of Impellam Group plc where she was CEO. Julia now holds Non-Executive Director roles in both public and private companies in the UK, US and global markets, including Optima Health plc and Gusbourne Limited.
Philip Machray
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
Phil joined Merit Group plc, as CFO, on 18th October 2021 and was formally appointed to the Board on 17th November 2021. Phil was appointed CEO on 26 January 2024 a position he combines with the CFO responsibilities.
Phil is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience in the media sector as an advisor, Board member and Executive. Most recently Phil worked for 16 years to July 2020 at Reach plc (formerly Trinity Mirror plc) where he held roles including Director of Corporate Development, Chief Operating Officer of Regionals, and Managing Director of Specialist Digital. Phil began his career at Deloitte LLP and was a Director within Deloitte’s Technology, Media & Telecoms practice. Phil is currently a Non-Executive Director of System1 Group plc where he is Remuneration Committee chair and a Non-Executive Director of Digitalbox plc where he serves as Chair of the Audit Committee.
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